Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

BARK UTENSILS 265leathenvood (remarkably strong), and hickoryshoots. Very good ropes and twine can be madefrom the fibers of the inner bark of the slippery,white, and winged elms,the pignut and other hickories,white oak, and buckeye, red cedar, yellow locust,red mulberry, and Osage-orange. One whohas not examined the finished work would scarce believewhat strong, soft, and durable cordage, matting,braided tump-lines, and even thread, fish-nets,and garments can be made from such materials byproper manipulation. The Indians first separatethe bark in long strips, remove the woody outerlayer, and then boil it in a lye of sifted wood ashesand water, w^hich softens the fiber so it can bemanipulated without breaking. After it is dried itcan be separated into small filaments by pounding,the strings running with the grain for several feet.Slippery elm especially makes a pliable rope, softto the touch ; it can be closely braided, and is verydurable. If the woody splinters and hard fragmentshave not been entirely removed by pounding,the shoulder blade of a deer is fastened to an uprightpost, an inch hole is drilled through it, andbunches of the boiled bark are pulled backward andforward through the hole. The filaments are thenput up in hanks and hung aside for use, being boiledto supple them when needed.Bark twine is made by holding in the left handone end of the fiber as it is pulled from the hank,and separating it into two parts, which are laidacross the thigh. The palm of the right hand isthen rolled forward over both, so as to twist tightlythe pair of strands, when they are permittedto unite and twist into a cord, the. xcft hand drawingit away as completed. Other strands are twistedin to make the length of cord desired.Twine andthread are made from the bark of young sprouts.The bast or inner rind of basswood (linden)m.akes good rope. More than a century ago, twoIndians whose canoe had drifted, while they were